# US 2026/0065014 A1 · Confidentiality-preserving splitting of a large language model > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2026/0065014 A1 - Document ID: US20260065014A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/817,481 - Filed: 2024-08-28 - Published: 2026-03-05 - Earliest claimed: 2024-08-28 - Assignees: Cisco Technology, Inc. - Applicants: Cisco Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Charles Fleming; Gaowen Liu; Jayanth Srinivasa; Ramana Rao V.R. Kompella - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260065014A1 ## CPC - G06N 3/04: Architecture, e.g. interconnection topology - G06N: COMPUTING ARRANGEMENTS BASED ON SPECIFIC COMPUTATIONAL MODELS ## Abstract In one implementation, a device in a local network receives, via a user interface, a prompt for input to a large language model that is external to the local network. The device sends the prompt to the large language model, wherein the large language model sends an intermediate embedding as a response to the prompt for input to one or more model layers split from the large language model that is hosted in the local network. The device receives an answer to the prompt from the one or more model layers hosted in the local network. The device provides the answer to the user interface for presentation to a user. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: receiving, at a device in a local network and via a user interface, a prompt for input to a large language model that is external to the local network; sending, by the device, the prompt to the large language model, wherein the large language model sends an intermediate embedding as a response to the prompt for input to one or more model layers split from the large language model that is hosted in the local network; receiving, at the device, an answer to the prompt from the one or more model layers hosted in the local network; and providing, by the device, the answer to the user interface for presentation to a user. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, wherein the device executes the one or more model layers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, wherein the device receives the answer from the one or more model layers from a second device in the local network. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method as in claim 3, wherein the second device comprises a router, gateway, or switch. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, wherein the one or more model layers hosted in the local network were trained using confidential information stored in the local network. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method as in claim 5, further comprising: receiving, via the user interface, a selection of the confidential information to be used to train the one or more model layers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, wherein the answer comprises confidential information. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, wherein the large language model comprises a plurality of pretrained layers whose parameters were not updated during training of the one or more model layers split from the large language model. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, wherein the device sends the prompt to the large language model via an application programming interface (API). ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, wherein the prompt comprises a query regarding a state of the local network. ### Claim 11 An apparatus, comprising: one or more network interfaces to communicate within a local network; a processor coupled to the one or more network interfaces and configured to execute one or more processes; and a memory configured to store a process that is executable by the processor, the process when executed configured to: receive, via a user interface, a prompt for input to a large language model that is external to the local network; send the prompt to the large language model, wherein the large language model sends an intermediate embedding as a response to the prompt for input to one or more model layers split from the large language model that is hosted in the local network; receive an answer to the prompt from the one or more model layers hosted in the local network; and provide the answer to the user interface for presentation to a user. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus as in claim 11, wherein the apparatus executes the one or more model layers. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The apparatus as in claim 11, wherein the apparatus receives the answer from the one or more model layers from a device in the local network. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the apparatus comprises a router, gateway, or switch. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The apparatus as in claim 11, wherein the one or more model layers hosted in the local network were trained using confidential information stored in the local network. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus as in claim 15, wherein the process when executed is further configured to: receive a selection of the confidential information to be used to train the one or more model layers. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The apparatus as in claim 11, wherein the answer comprises confidential information. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The apparatus as in claim 11, wherein the large language model comprises a plurality of pretrained layers whose parameters were not updated during training of the one or more model layers split from the large language model. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The apparatus as in claim 11, wherein the apparatus sends the prompt to the large language model via an application programming interface (API). ### Claim 20 A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing program instructions that cause a device to execute a process comprising: receiving, at a device in a local network and via a user interface, a prompt for input to a large language model that is external to the local network; sending, by the device, the prompt to the large language model, wherein the large language model sends an intermediate embedding as a response to the prompt for input to one or more model layers split from the large language model that is hosted in the local network; receiving, at the device, an answer to the prompt from the one or more model layers hosted in the local network; and providing, by the device, the answer to the user interface for presentation to a user.